Belt distributor for cotton gins



B. C WOODFORD ET AL BELT DISTRIBUTOR F'OR COTTON GINS April 7, 1931.

Filed Jan. 10. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l gvwe'u fom Mg i 1 ?:::H HM -I- in wN. x NM C w m 4. Z 5 0 N m Ap 7, 3 B. c. WOODFORD ET AL 1,799,544

BELT DTSTRTBUTOR FOR COTTON GINS Filed Jan. 10. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 imla7 gnuewtoz C. Waco ford fas eph Bah/e Joshua; 'C'. Conrad April .7, 1931. B. c. WOODFORD ET AL 1,799,544

BELT DISTRIBUTOR FOR COTTON GINS;

Filed Jan. 10. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 7, 1931.

B. c. WOODFORD ET AL 1,799,544

BELT DTSTRIBUTOR FOR COTTON GTNS I Filed Jan. 10. 1929 4 SheetsSheet 4 jbS/ h Bah/e- Joshuc C. Cgnrud Patented Apr. 7, 1931 V UNITED STATES ASSIGNORS TO THE MURRAY COMPANY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, A CQRPORATIONOFb TEXAS Application filed January 10, 1929. "Serial ,No. 331,620.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in belt distributors for cotton gins. V v

Qne object of the invention is to'provide a belt distributor in which the belt driving, carrying and tensioning elements are made in individual units, whereby easy, convenient and expeditious assembly of the distributor may be carried out.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a beltdistributor which, owing to its novel features, may be constructed of metal, thus reducing fire hazardsin the ginning system. H

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved take up unit for tensi0ning the belt, arranged to be easily adjusted under a load. p

Another'object of the invention is to'provide a dotting and discharge'mechanism for disposing of cotton which finds its way under the belt and accumulates on the pulley. Stillanotherobject of theinvention is to Q provide an idler andtransmission unitarranged to readily slide, thus reducing frictionand making for quick assembly.

Another objectof the invention is toprovide a driving unit including a compact and simple drive and equipped with a choke valve cordance with theinventionf 1 arranged to automatically open: and accommodate the cotton in case of a congestion in the distributor.

A construction designed tocarry out the invention will be hereinafter described, to-' getherwith other features of the invention.-

The invention will be more readily under} cation andfbyfreference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein: V

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation ofa belt distributor assembly constructed inac- Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the'discharge endvof the distributor, i

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal hori'z ontalbsectionalview of the driving unit," L Fig. 4 is a side elevation of'the same,

arr orrics BRONSON c. WOODFO'RD, frosnrn: BEI-ILE, AND JOSHUA c. .coN Anor DALLAS, TEXAS,

BELT DISTRIBUTOR FOR COTTON GIN'S preferably constructed ofsheet metal and suitably reenforce'd by angles 11. The housing is conveniently builtof sections and includes a driving end section A, a discharge section B and a central or'idler section C.

These sections are constructed withthe angles 11 at one or both ends so as tobe conveniently securedto the other sections of the housing.

As is shownin the drawings,*the intermediate or longitudinal central portion of the housing may be open. The section A is provided with acbonnet 12 in which a pulley 13 is mounted upon a drive shaft 14 so as to be rotated by said shaft, as is best shownin Figs. 3 j and 4. The shaft is .journaled in antifriction bearings 15 suitably mounted on each side of said bonnet. A

' beveled gear'lfifastened onone end of the I drive shaft is drivenby abeveled pinion 17 i made fast upon a countershaft 18. The countershaft is journaled in anti-friction bearings 19, one of which is supported in abracket 2O on the side of the bonnet and-the'othe'r of which is supported'in a: bracket 21 on the side of theisection A. The counter-shaft may be suitably driven from any power source. 1

The section B has adischarge hood 22 over.

its open end. A belt take-up device (Figs. 8

and 9) is mounted on the section B and includes' longitudinal side channels 23 0011- nected by a crosshead 24at one end and carrying anti-friction bearings 25 at their, opposite ends in which a driven s'haft'26 is journaled: 'A pulley, 27 is fastened on the shaft within the housing section. p An adjusting screw 28 is rotatably confined in the cross head 24% and has screw-threaded Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofthe idler secan elongated distributor housing which is engagement in a boss 29 formed in a crossbar 3O suitably'fastened to the inner end of the section B and transversely thereof. A hand wheel 31 is fastened on the outer end of the screw, whereby the latter may be rotated to cause longitudinal movement of the members 23. Thesijde channels 23 are supported by flanged guide rollers 32 mounted on the sides of the section B.

The distributor may beereeted without-the idler sec-tion G and in such cases-theend sec tions A and B are suitably connected to the intermediate housing section's. The-pulleys 13 and 27 have their faces formed with circumferential grooves 33 suitably spaced to receive theheads ot'the ,pins 34: of the distributor belt 35, as is best indicated in Fig. 7. This permits the belt to liefiat onthe face'of the pulleys and at tlie same time allows the pins to be properlyheaded. It is obvious that section or out'of it in the vicinity of the shaft,

andthus protects the pulley as wellascon'iponent parts. The belt 35 travels in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 and the hood 22 has a tendency to catch cotton thrown from the belt, as it rounds the pulley 27.,- and-deflect .such cotton :onto the B001 of the chutes will be so deflected. v

The upper-'ruiro fthe belt travels on aboard orsupporting plate 39 suitably fastened in the housing above the longitudinal opening. Considerable difficulty is experienced with cotton:lodgingbetween the pulley 27 and the underside of the belt. This results from the fact that the drive pulley 13 not being adjustable, the board 39 may belextended to i said pulley, just so there is clearance therebetween, but at the other end :the board must be terminated short of the pulley-r7 so as to permit adjustment of the latter. v

In order to remove thecotton which finds its way around the edges of the belt and accumulates onthe ,pulley 27,.a slide plate i0 is mountednuponthe board 39 andsupports the belt. This slide ha-s a downwardly directedtransverse dofi'er tl at its end contiguous to the face ofthe pulley 27. The slide is fastened to a. transverse brace 42 (Figs.

2 and 8) adjacent the dofier and this brace is carried by a transverse angle bar 43 extending through the slots 37 and secured in bonnet 12. oversupply of cotton is fed to the belt and house. Onl such cotton as asses the 1 111 the cover plates 38. By this arrangement the dofier is adjusted in unison with the pulley. The cotton which is defied from the pulley is carried by the belt over the slide and board 39 to a discharge spout 4 L (Fig. 8), which delivers it to the huller breast of the gin below. 7

As is well understood the cotton is fed to thetop leg of the belt and travels toward the It sometimes happens that an chokes up in the bonnet l2 and in section A. To care forthiscondition, an elongated choke valve 45 is hinged to the section A (Fig. 4) at its point of connection with the bonnet so as to open upwardly toward the flow of cotton. The cotton must pass under this valve which rests upon the top of the housing. An over-supply of cotton will-raise this valve, as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, thus preventing choking in-the bonnet.

Where the belt distributor must'be of considerable length, the idler section C is employed, and in such an instance two belts 351 and 352 are employechsaid belts being in all respects the same as the belt 35. The idler section C is best shown in Figs. 1, '5, 6 and 7. This section includes a carriage comprising longitudinal side channels 46 mounted on flanged guiderollers 47 journaled on the sides of the section.- The section C has longitudinal side openings 48.

The belts are mounted on pulleys 13 and 27 of substantially the same structure as the pulleys 13 andiQT. The pulleys 13 and Z7 areinade fast upon shafts 49 which extend through the openings i8 and are journaled in 'antidriction bearings 50 carriedby the channels 46. Sprocket wheels 51 fastened on the outer ends oisaid shafts are connectedby a chain52so that the belt 351 being driven bythe pulley 13 drives a pulley 13" which in turn drives the pulley 27 through-the agency of the chain 52.

In order to prevent cotton escaping from between the idler-s, as well as for keeping out trash, guard plates 53 extending'between the shafts 4E9 bear against the inner faces of the side walls of the section C and are fastened to guide blocks 54.- slidable in the opening-48. Vhen the take-up is operated toa'djus't' tho pulley 27 the carriage, which includes the channels 46, will also be adjusted longitudi nally to take up the slack in both belts.

Various changes in the size and shape of the difl'erent parts,-as well as modifications and alterations, may be made within the scope of the appendedcla-ims.

WVhat we claim is:

1. In a'belt distributor, an elongated metal housing comprising end sections andintermediate sections having an idler section therebetween, all of. said sections being individual units secured end to end, pulleys.

mounted in the end and idler sections, dis- "1 tributor belts'upon said pulleys, a take-up for adjusting the pulley in one of the end I sections, and a carriage longitudinally movable on the idler section and on which the idler pulleys are mounted.

2. In a belt distributor, an elongated metal housing comprising end sections and intermediate sections having an idler section therebetween, all of said sections being individual units secured end to end, pulleys mounted in the end and idler sections, distributor belts upon said pulleys, a take-up for adjusting the pulley in one of the end sections, a carriage longitudinally movable on the idler section and on which the idler pulleys are mounted, means for dofling cotton from the pulley carried byand movable withthe take-up and a supporting plate cooperating with the belt and dofli'er for conducting the doifed cotton to a discharge.

3. In a belt distributor, a housing having an end section provided with side slots, cover plates over the slots of said section, a shaft passing vthrough said plates, a pulleymounted on the shaft within the section, a belt take-up mounted on the section and connected with said shaft, and a cotton doffer' mounted upon the cover plates and disposed in said section contiguous to said pulley and movable therewith and having means to feed doffed cotton beneath the belt.

4. In a belt distributor, an end housing section provided with side slots, a take-up carriage longitudinally adjustable on said section, a belt pulley having its shaft'journaled in said carriage and extending through said slots, cover plates over the slots of said section and connected with the shaft of the pulley, a dofl'er having its upper end contiguous to the pulley, a support for the dofler' secured to the cover plates and movable therewith,,and a slide connected with the dofier iind extending beneath the upper reach of the elt.

5. In a belt distributor, a housing having pulleys at each end thereof, a belt traveling in said housing and supported on said pulleys, a supporting plate over which said belt travels, a doffer contiguous to one of the pulleys and having a slide extending between the belt and the plate, and a discharge outlet 7 extending from the plate for discharging cotton outside .of the housing.

6. In a beltdistributor, a housing having an idler section intermediate its ends provided with side slots, a carriage movably mounted on the housing section, pulleys within the section, shafts on which the pulleys are mounted extending through the section slots and journaled in the carriage, means for driving one pulley from the other, and cover plates over the section slots between the pulley shafts.

7. In a belt distributor, an elongated housing comprising end sections and intermediate sections, a dragboard' connecting said sections, pulleys journalled in the end sections, a distributor belt between the pulleys -traversing said board, a driving connection for one of the pulleys, a take-up for the other pulley, and means for do-ffing the cotton from one of the pulleys and delivering it intermediate the belt and board whereby the doffed cotton is conducted by the belt to a point of discharge.

8. The combination as defined by claim 7, with means for jointly adjusting said doifer and take-up pulley relative to an end of the drag board,

9. The combination as defined by claim 7, and a choke valve on the end section adjacent the driven pulley and overlying theupper reach of the distributor belt and movable away from. the belt.

10. In a belt distributor, a housing including end sections, pulleys journalled in said sections, a distributor belt extending between v the pulleys, a take-up for one of said pulleys,

a drag board connecting the sections and extending beneath the upper reach ofthe belt intermediate the pulleys, and a doffer adjustable with the take-up pulley toward and from one end. of the board.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa-' tures. I I

' BRONSON C. WOODFORD.

V JOSEPH BEHLE.

:JOSHUA C. CONRAD. 

